MHS REPORT: DeSoto's Peterman has fond memories of time at MHS

Christopher Hadorn | chadorn@mrt.com

Published
5:49 pm CDT, Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Midland football head coach Craig Yenzer talks to Dillon Springer (42) and Stetson Abney (99) as they come off the field during the season-opening game against El Paso Franklin on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, at Grande Communications Stadium. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram less

Midland football head coach Craig Yenzer talks to Dillon Springer (42) and Stetson Abney (99) as they come off the field during the season-opening game against El Paso Franklin on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, at ... more

Midland football head coach Craig Yenzer talks to Dillon Springer (42) and Stetson Abney (99) as they come off the field during the season-opening game against El Paso Franklin on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, at Grande Communications Stadium. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram less

Midland football head coach Craig Yenzer talks to Dillon Springer (42) and Stetson Abney (99) as they come off the field during the season-opening game against El Paso Franklin on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016, at ... more

It will be a homecoming for DeSoto head coach Todd Peterman when the No. 2-ranked Eagles (2-0) visits Midland High (2-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday at Grande Communications Stadium.

Peterman, who’s in his second year as head coach and has been at DeSoto since 2008, served as offensive coordinator for David Browning when the latter was the head coach of the MHS football program from 1996-2001.

Peterman has fond reflections of his time in the Tall City.

“I loved Midland,” Peterman said. “I never thought I would leave to be honest. It’s a great city, a great town and has great football fans and I have nothing but great memories from there.

“I want these guys to get a feel for West Texas football and the rich tradition. It’s a great opportunity to travel and play a football game in what I think is the best stadium in Texas.”

While Peterman wants his players to get an appreciation for West Texas football, MHS head coach Craig Yenzer scheduled the game as a means to challenge his players.

Yenzer recalled Tuesday when Bulldogs senior defensive end Dillon Springer approached him after his sophomore year and expressed interest in playing state powers.

Yenzer said he first balked when Peterman originally asked him to play, but changed his mind after his recollection of his conversation with Springer.

“Thinking back about what Dillon had said, you can’t dodge these people,” Yenzer said. “If you want to get your program where you want to get it, you need to take on challenges like this and we’ll see. It tells you where you are as a program, you tells you your players’ mentality.”

With a senior-laden team, the Bulldogs have rolled out of the gates behind a balanced offense that is averaging 179 rushing yards and 344.5 passing yards per game. However, the visiting Eagles, who received three first-place votes in this week’s Associated Press Class 6A poll, offer a level of challenge that MHS won’t likely face again this regular season.

Peterman said DeSoto has 24 players that have received scholarship offers from colleges to play football. Rivals.com lists four 4-star recruits on DeSoto, which includes quarterback Shawn Robinson, offensive lineman Edward Ingram and wide receivers K.D. Nixon and Laviska Shenault.

It will also be a homecoming for Robinson and his father Othell Robinson, a DeSoto assistant who served on Browning’s staff.

Peterman remembered Tuesday how he once saw Othell changing Shawn’s diapers in the Midland High football fieldhouse.

Shawn Robinson has since grown into a 6-foot-1, 205-pound dual threat quarterback that is committed to TCU.

“He’s got a great arm, seems to put the ball where they want him to put it and do things that they want him to do,” Yenzer said of Robinson. “He’s a catalyst for the team, a typical athletic quarterback. This is one of those games again, where we’re already talking to the defense, you’re not going to stop them every time. It’s whether we can get enough stops and then can offense take advantage of those stops.”

Three of Robinson’s five offensive linemen are Division-I bound, as Ingram has committed to LSU, while Xavier Newman is a Texas commit and Hyrin White has verballed to Missouri.

Shenault, one of Robinson’s receiving targets, has pledged to Colorado.

“We don’t have those kind of athletes,” said Yenzer of his first thoughts when he watched film. “However, you go back to history of this game, football is a physical game played by kids that play with a lot of passion.”

Peterman said that what impressed him the most about the Bulldogs was how hard they played and how fast they flew to the football.

That scrappy style of play, along with the football fervor of West Texas, is what has Peterman enthusiastic about competing in Midland again.

“It’s just the rich tradition,” Peterman said. “There’s oil fields, family, religion and football and that’s it. I love all of those things right there.”

Follow Christopher on Twitter: @chris_MRTsports

Midland High MVPs

Offense

Jackson Anuszkiewicz, Sr., QB

In MHS’ 38-28 win over El Paso Montwood, Anuszkiewicz passed for 392 yards, the third-highest total in a single game in school history. Anuszkiewicz accounted for three total touchdowns, while completing 20 of his 28 attempts.

Defense

Joseph Barron, Sr., LB

Barron recorded 11 total tackles, two tackles for a loss and two sacks in his season debut.

Special teams

Ignacio Correa, Sr., K

Correa was 5-for-5 in extra points, kicked a 25-yard field goal and had three touchbacks on kickoffs.

BULLDOG BITES

-- Midland High linebacker Jordan Taylor injured his knee versus El Paso Montwood and his playing status is in question for Friday’s game versus DeSoto. Yenzer is also unsure about the playing status of running back Nick Hernandez (hamstring) and linebacker/tight end Isaiah Marquez (shoulder).

-- Despite compiling total 581 yards of offense against Montwood, Yenzer thought his Bulldogs were capable of putting together a 700-yard performance. He said MHS was setback by penalties and missed reads on hot routes, which is a pass play audible to counter a blitz.

-- Bulldogs right offensive tackle Noah Payan was honored as the offensive lineman of the week by the coaching staff.

-- Running back Ricky Hubert spearheaded Midland High’s rushing game with 134 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Yenzer said his coaching staff is still figuring out the right balance between using a quick strike, no-huddle attack on offense compared to a two-back, power running approach with Hubert rushing downhill.